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Wildfire smoke lingers over Greater Victoria

Other parts of province also subject to special air quality statement issued Sunday
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Smoke from wildfires in the United States continue to blanket the Greater Victoria, including Sidney’s downtown, here looking down Beacon Avenue toward the ocean. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement for Greater Victoria.

The statement issued early Sunday morning identifies the region as one of the regions in the province impacted by wildfire smoke.

“Smoke impacts due to long-range transport from wildfires in the western United States have already been observed in some areas of Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, and portions of the Interior,” it reads.

The bulletin urges residents to take precautions to reduce their exposure. “Wildfire smoke is a constantly-changing mixture of particles and gasses which includes many chemicals that can harm your health,” it reads.

Wildfires in Washington State, Oregon and California have killed dozens of people across those states with authorities fearing additional fatalities, while chasing tens of thousands of people out of their homes, leaving them scrambling for food, water and shelter under ominous clouds of smoke that have spread across the northwestern corner of the North American continent.

RELATED: Smoke from distant fires in U.S. pose ‘very high risk’ for air quality in B.C.

RELATED: Greater Victoria forest fire risk upgraded to ‘extreme’

RELATED: Wildfire smoke blowing through Greater Victoria for up to two days: Environment Canada

Greater Victoria residents woke up to weather and air quality warnings on Tuesday morning as Environment Canada issued alerts about the high temperatures forecasted for the week and smokey skies from wildfires in Washington State. With some variations, the region remains under a dome of smoke, at least through Sunday.

“The anticipated smoke trajectory indicates that the areas impacted will grow to the north and east as the weekend progresses with the most widespread impacts expected on Sunday,” says Environment Canada in its statement.


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wolfgang.depner@peninsulanewsreview.com



Wolf Depner

About the Author: Wolf Depner

I joined the national team with Black Press Media in 2023 from the Peninsula News Review, where I had reported on Vancouver Island's Saanich Peninsula since 2019.
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